ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The second half of the BVI Football Association (BVIFA) National league resumed on Saturday January 12, 2013, with a mixed bag of results for the teams vying to make it to next season’s Premier league.

It took just 3 minutes for the Wolues to take a 1-0 advantage against the Haitian Stars when James Shearman threaded a ball through a packed defense into the path of John Argyross. Argyross surged into the box, skipped one tackle, but as he was about to shoot Prudent Rosier was adjudged to have pushed him off the ball and the referee awarded a penalty kick. Shearman didn’t make good contact with his kick, but it had just enough power to slip under the diving Daniel Phillip in goal.

These days though the Haitians have added resilience and purpose to their game and drew level just 10 minutes later when Rosier made amends for his earlier mistake with a well struck equalizer.

The Wolues were then guilty of squandering good chances to regain the lead with Matthew Moss and Shearman wasting golden opportunities. Moss saw his header flash well wide when unmarked inside the box and Shearman saw a couple of efforts go wide of the target.

At the other end, the Haitians caused some concerns with a couple of Reuben Stoby free kicks requiring some resolute defending from Moss and Nick Messum. Rosier also had a low drive blocked by Rory Greenan.

Somewhat surprisingly and alarmingly for the Wolues, the second half started with the Haitians in total control of the game and they took a deserved lead when Sanel Septus smashed a half volley past Andrew Seekts in goal.

A long throw from Stoby was initially chested down by a Haitian player into the path of Septus who then spun around a defender and lashed his shot into the net.

With 15 minutes to go the Wolues pulled level through Matthew Moss, who drilled his shot through a crowded goal mouth to make it 2-2 and save the Wolues from defeat. Both sides seemed relieved to share the points, but it was a game the Wolues were expected to win

“We were comfortable in the first 10 or 15 minutes and really should have pressed on,” commented Shearman, “but we dropped a bit deep and gave them too much space in the middle. Fair credit to them though they worked hard, were more composed on the ball than we were and probably a fair result in the end.”

As for the Haitians, they have set their stall on not losing for the rest of the season. “We dropped points having given away a soft equalizer, but we played well. We have some new players coming to strengthen the team and our goal is just to win. We are disappointed today,” stated captain James Felix.

A lacklustre first half that saw the Rebels and VG United deadlocked at 0-0, burst into life in the second period when a Bryan Smith cross found Danny Joseph unmarked just inside the box and he made no mistake with a looping header to fire his team into a 1-0 advantage.

Michael Facey then sent over a deep corner which alluded the keeper and the attackers before the unlucky VG number 13, Errol Wellington, could only deflect it into the net off his head and under pressure from Hilton Matthews to make the final score 2-0

The third game of the evening saw Sugar Boys record a 4-1 win over Old Madrid.

On Sunday, the Ballstars were awarded forfeiture against East End who failed to show up at the newly revised start time of 4 P.M. Their coach was apparently unaware of the new times for 2013 and it remains to be seen what action, if any, the competitions committee will take.

Another decision the committee will have to make is on the Lucien Stars, who have pulled out of the league due to a lack of players. The Islanders were due to face them on Sunday over on Virgin Gorda, but the match was also a forfeit.

The last game of the weekend saw Panthers and One Love go scoreless over 90 minutes in a game of few chances, a lack of creativity and not much excitement.

Neither team looked likely to score at any stage and both teams struggled to put together any chances on the fast and slippery surface.

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